1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to tie down devices. More particularly, the present invention relates to tie down devices for a motorcycle during transport on a trailer or truck bed.
2. Description of Related Art
Present motorcycle tie down devices for use when transporting a motorcycle on a trailer or truck bed risk damage to the full fairing of a modern sport motorcycle. Straps attached to handle bars may result in bending of the bars during use. Straps attached to the central steering portion of the handle bars may result in damage to the fairing during tie down. It would be desirable to have a device which may be attached to the motorcycle to which tie down straps may be attached away from the body of the motorcycle without danger of damaging the fairing. It would further be desirable to provide such a device which will secure the handle bars without the risk of bending the bars during transport.
U.K. patent document 700,968, published December 1953, describes a device for securing motorcycles in transport vehicles. The device has a part shaped to fit over the saddle of the motorcycle and rings for the attachment of securing lines. The device of the ""968 patent would not be appropriate for modern full fairing sport motorcycles.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,516,020, issued May 14, 1996, to Lawler, et al., describes a truck bed mount bicycle rack. A bicycle is held securely in the rack by a C-shaped hook or clamp that fits around the steering neck frame of the bicycle frame mounting and is secured with a specially designed locknut. The device of the ""020 patent would result in damage to the fairing of a sport motorcycle as discussed above.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,529,448, issued Jun. 25, 1996, to Kosma. describes an adjustable hand grip mount for securing a motorcycle to a transportation vehicle. The hand grip mount includes a telescopic frame and a pair of tubular receptacles for receiving the hand grips of the motorcycle. The tubular frame has a strap hole at each end for receiving tie straps. The handle bars on a modern sport motorcycle are light in construction and subject to bending if used for tie down points as in the ""448 patent.
None of the above inventions and patents, taken either singly or in combination, is seen to describe the instant invention as claimed:
A tie down device for securing modern sport type motorcycles having a full fairing to a truck or trailer bed without damaging the fairing or handle bars. The device includes a tie down bar that is secured to the central portion of the steering area of the motorcycle by a central stabilizer rod. The stabilizer rod is perpendicular to the tie down bar forming a T-bar and includes a height stop. The stabilizer rod fits within a center-bored nut on the steering stem and into the frame neck which connects upper and lower triple clamps. These are common features of most sport motorcycles. Adjacent to each end of the tie down bar are handle bar stabilizing hooks and tie down rings or eyelets for attachment of standard tie down straps. The invention provides tie down points for securing the motorcycle without attaching the tie down straps to the motorcycle, thus avoiding damage to the fairing.
Accordingly, it is a principal object of the invention to provide for the tie down of a full fairing sport motorcycle without damaging the fairing.
It is another object of the invention to provide a T-shaped device as above which attaches at the steering mechanism and provides an extended bar reaching past the fairing on each side of the motorcycle where tie down rings are provided.
It is a further object of the invention to provide a device as above which is useful with standard tie down straps.
It is still another object of the invention to provide a device as above which includes adjustable handle bar stabilizers which reach from the extended bar to engage the handle bars of the motorcycle.
It is an object of the invention to provide improved elements and arrangements thereof in an apparatus for the purposes described which is inexpensive, dependable and fully effective in accomplishing its intended purposes.
These and other objects of the present invention will become readily apparent upon further review of the following specification. and drawings.